Political Quotes

“I thank the distinguished majority leader. He has shown remarkable endurance as well as patience over the last 2 years. The health care debate went on for more than a year, considering its beginning, and we finally ended up passing the legislation. We have a lot of other matters to deal with--obviously, the economic crisis. We are now on the financial reform bill. My hope is--I am not making any procedural requests--based on conversations we had late last evening and again early this morning--and I think Senator Shelby shares this hope with me, and we are working as we speak here--that we might be able to have a vote on the Boxer amendment sometime around 11, 11:30, and a vote on Senator Shelby's proposal, on which I will join him, maybe around 12:30. Then we will be able to take up--not to have to vote on them but agree to them unanimously--the Snowe amendments. There is a Hutchison-Tester proposal that I have endorsed as well and that I think all of us believe is a good addition to the bill. My hope is that in the next couple of hours we will move forward and start the process. There are more controversial amendments Members want to raise. They should have the right to do that and have adequate time to debate their ideas. I know this has been trying for people. People are exhausted. It has been a long Congress. We have taken on some major issues. People are understandably tired, and that situation can lead to the frustration people feel.”